


cloud strife's "weakness"

by devilfic



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Pining, Reader is worried about him, and he didn't even ask, cloud doesn't know how to ask for help until it's too late, dynamic: you fight good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:27:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24381286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devilfic/pseuds/devilfic
Summary: who is he trying to be strong for?
Relationships: Cloud Strife/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 171





	cloud strife's "weakness"

A gaping, ugly wound stares back at you in the coolness of the motel room; all the while, Cloud is insistent, “It’s _really_ not that bad.”

You shush him for what feels like the umpteenth time. Originally, the ex-SOLDIER had been on his way to his own room after you’d all rushed to your separate quarters for the night, but he hadn’t been quiet nor graceful. His descent to the ground in agony had thankfully been right outside your door where you could retrieve him before he woke the whole floor up (including Tifa and Aerith who would have given him a _much_ sterner talking to about the situation than you). The protests hadn’t stopped since.

You had all tuckered out pretty quick after the last successful mission, and with that came the cool down. This usually meant pigging out on whatever fast food joint was nearest and then heading back to the motel to sleep for the next thirteen or so hours. This routine was only ever shaken by the pesky little injury here and there, but this was no pesky or little injury. If you were guessing right, Cloud had been nursing this stab wound for _hours_. 

You clean around it as gently as you’re able, all the while navigating the minefield that is getting Cloud to be honest about pain, “You should’ve used the mega-potion like I told you. Does this hurt?” You gently poke near his wound and he controls himself well, only sucking in a quick breath, “Hmph.”

“I said it’s not that bad. I was going to get one when I got back to my room.” 

“Imagine if I’d been asleep. Or if you weren’t so heavy. You might’ve passed out in the hallway and bled to death. Then where would we be?”

Cloud seems to take offense to your insinuating statement, lightly raising a hand to push your prodding ones away. Not looking to aggravate him (or the wound) further, you relent, fully intent on going back in as soon as his temper tantrum subsided. “You don’t need to worry over me like the others. I’m stronger than you seem to think I am.”

Oh, you were _well_ aware of that. If the sculpted muscles he touted around bare weren’t obvious enough, the sheer strength he possessed when manhandling you all out of harm’s way definitely was. Cloud had handled a hell of a lot worse, but could he blame you? You’d revived him and the others of Avalanche in battle enough times to scar you. Especially at a time like this, one person’s weakness was everyone’s weakness. And, also, you quite liked Cloud being alive. 

“I know how strong you are, but you’re still human.” You gently move back in to finish up cleaning, taking care to ignore his swirling eyes of blue and mako green. It’s a delicate mission taking care of someone such as Cloud Strife. You’d never imagined someone could be more stubborn than Barret. “I’m not trying to make you feel… bad, Cloud. Understand that you’re part of us. It’s okay if you need help.”

Cloud knew all of that to an extent. Had filed it away in his memory and locked it up tight. But he didn’t like… understanding it. He didn’t like the feeling of being responsible for others, or others being responsible for him. It was compromising. Foreign. This sense of community didn’t make sense to the likes of him, someone who had thrived off of being alone. Tifa had been the only one who really knew what he was before he’d become this way, and much like he’d grown accustomed to over the years, he attempted to file that away too (somewhere much more repressed). Of course, there were tendrils of who he once was, forgotten or not, but they weren’t strong enough to stick. It was better not to think about it. Better not to crave what once was or what could be. Both were far too intangible for him.

Somewhere in the midst of his thinking, you had finished cleaning him up and set to slowly bandaging him. He only realized when he felt you come closer to him, kneeling between his legs and wrapping your arms around his waist to pass the bandage around his naked abdomen. Your breath brushes over the skin there and he begs his thoughts to go elsewhere as he attempts to distract you from talking about him, “Didn’t ask before but… you okay too?”

You immediately snap to attention, looking up at Cloud and halting your ministrations for a bit before continuing, the tips of your ears no doubt burning, “O-Oh, yeah. I took some medicine earlier. Just a couple scrapes as usual.” 

“You’re pretty good at defense…” Of course you were. You had trained for a long time to hold up against threats because _my god_ , there were so many in this line of work. You could swing your sword like Cloud or blast off an enemy’s head like Barret, maybe sucker punch your way through a hoard of ugly demons like Tifa, but the one thing that you’d always focused on was being the last one standing. When the rest were chipped off one by one, you were always there to patch them back up, and if it came down to it, you would throw your own hat into the ring and fight as well. Your twin daggers did about as much harm as your anger allowed you, and when all your friends were keeling over in the battlefield, you were _pissed_.

But one thing you admired about Cloud was how brazen he was. He very rarely thought about blocking, rather rushing forward and slicing down opponents in a rushed flurry of movement. If someone else was going to get hit, he’d take the damage. If he was going to get hit, he’d take it and still annihilate the enemy without flinching. For a while, you were even convinced he wasn’t human (and given the reality of his past with mako, an argument could almost be made). It was just that… he rarely ever showed his weakness. Even now, as he was in pain, he refused to look anything other than inconvenienced at best. 

He thought of his body as a brick wall. If you knocked down a few pieces, he’d just rebuild them later. “And you’re pretty good at offense. We make a good team, don’t we?” You offer, in lieu of scolding him for his recklessness with said offense.

It was very rare to get Cloud to crack smiles, but in that moment, somehow, something changes and he smiles for just a moment. It’s enough to shock you into staring at him openly, dumb with disbelief. When those wide eyes of his crinkle at the edges it’s like magic. Or something close to it.

His wound is all wrapped up, and since you don’t trust him fully to go and do as you’ve instructed, you make him take a few potions there until he’s got more color in his face again. He looks so excited to get back up on his feet without the threat of passing out that as soon as you’ve moved away, he’s jumping up and removing his buster sword from where it leans heavy against the wall. You couldn’t imagine how much current damage a heavy thing like that did to his back carrying it around all day. “I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning, right? You better be gentle with that wound.”

Cloud clicks his sword to his back and pulls open your door, giving you a small nod to let you know he heard you loud and clear. “Thanks. Goodnight.” 

And as he begins to walk back down the corridor, you can’t help yourself from sticking your head out and calling to him once more, “I need to know you’re okay, Cloud. Please don’t fake it.” 

You watch as the man stumbles to a stop but doesn’t turn around. You brace yourself for whatever he might say (or not say), running through a list of very Cloud-like responses that all range from dismissive to annoyed. “If you promise not to look so worried all the time… I promise I won’t fake it.”

A stunned “Okay” leaves your mouth before you can form a longer response, and Cloud takes that as his cue to leave very quickly, rushing off to his room before you could make out his reddening cheeks.


End file.
